Park officials defend their decision to capture dolphins, along with other species, as a conservation effort.

Singapore’s new S.E.A. Aquarium and Adventure Cove Waterpark features a host of exhibits, including a large rainbow reef for snorkeling, a manta ray feeding station and the world’s largest viewing panel. 36 meters wide and 8.3 meters tall, this panel immerses visitors in a wonderland of marine biodiversity. Nonetheless, the Marine Life Park has come under fire for capturing 25 dolphins from the wild for use in their multibillion dollar facility.

“We hold the belief that zoological organizations have a role to play in wildlife conservation and that to avert species crises controlled wildlife collections can occur for quality zoological facilities to increase our understanding of the species and for breeding purposes,” park officials stated, according to News Track India.

Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins are listed as “data deficient” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since it is not yet certain how endangered they are. Since they typically thrive in shallow coastal areas, these dolphins are particularly prone to environmental degradation. Other species on display include hammerhead and other non-endangered shark species.